No Trays in Lido

[SonnekeH]

So if there are no trays in the Lido, what is a person with mobility issues to do? I am traveling on my own and use a cane and/or walker.....just how many trips to the buffet will it take to get a decent lunch, or breakfast? Or am I banished forever to the MDR or room service?:confused:

[Love the beach]

There will be dining stewards offering to help you....

[sail7seas]

Hopefully there will be sufficient stewards and they will assist you. There usually are a few standing by near the buffet to help.

 

[dvcmember]

I have a mobility issue too and I use a cane for mobility. The crew in the Lido has been more than accommodating to help me with my plate. I do prefer to dine in the MDR as much as possible as I tend to enjoy the ambiance there. If you just smile and ask a steward, I'm sure they will lend a helping hand.

[Harry1954]

I have a mobility issue too and I use a cane for mobility. The crew in the Lido has been more than accommodating to help me with my plate. I do prefer to dine in the MDR as much as possible as I tend to enjoy the ambiance there. If you just smile and ask a steward, I'm sure they will lend a helping hand.

 

This is very true and on each of the ships we have been on. We noticed that they will visually recognize those in need after the first time or so and head over to help them.

 

harry

[regnig]

There will be dining stewards offering to help you....

 

This is very true and on each of the ships we have been on. We noticed that they will visually recognize those in need after the first time or so and head over to help them.

 

harry

 

Although I don't need the help (Yet, :rolleyes:) I have pleasantly watched the dining stewards help others many many times. They all seem to take pleasure so just present yourself and you will be impressed too. Much better than juggling a tray!

 

 

 

BTW, must admit it was rare on Princess that I observed the same service except at dinner in the Café.

Edited October 14, 2015 by larsen

[cb at sea]

The dining room IS the easiest way to eat....getting served is lovely...and it's not like you have to be back at work in 15 mins, or anything! Relax and let them serve you!

[Krazy Kruizers]

I use walker as well.

The few times that we have eaten in the Lido for lunch, there has been someone rush over to help me.

The dining room is rarely open for lunch.

[InTheWASide]

Also as I see you'll be on Nieuw Amsterdam there are lots of small 2 top tables right along the food lines so if you get one of those you'll be that much closer to your destination when you go back to get a little more

 

This picture shows what I'm talking about. Food stations are just across where the tile flooring is

[57redbird]

So if there are no trays in the Lido, what is a person with mobility issues to do? I am traveling on my own and use a cane and/or walker.....just how many trips to the buffet will it take to get a decent lunch, or breakfast? Or am I banished forever to the MDR or room service?:confused:

 

I went to the Dollar Store & picked up a couple of clear plastic trays (heavy-duty type). Plan on bringing them on our cruise in December.

[Lady Chew]

:confused: If you are using a cane or a walker, how are you able to balance a loaded tray? :confused:

 

I am extremely uncoordinated, and find it much easier to carry a plate than a heavy tray with multiple items. I can't imagine trying to balance a tray while using a cane or walker ...

[Fouremco]

This board frequently bemoans the deterioration of the sailing experience on HAL, but one of the biggest improvements I've noticed over the past two or three years has been the steward service in the Lido.

[Krazy Kruizers]

DH's Parkinson's has become worse and he can't help me. He even has troubles carrying a plate back to the table. I often mention this to a server to help him as I don't want too much food spilled onto the floor.

Neither of us can handle a tray.

[OCruisers]

:confused: If you are using a cane or a walker, how are you able to balance a loaded tray? :confused:

 

I am extremely uncoordinated, and find it much easier to carry a plate than a heavy tray with multiple items. I can't imagine trying to balance a tray while using a cane or walker ...

 

Even without a cane or walker, I find it much easier to carry a plate. :)

 

LuLu

[SonnekeH]

:confused: If you are using a cane or a walker, how are you able to balance a loaded tray? :confused:

 

I am extremely uncoordinated, and find it much easier to carry a plate than a heavy tray with multiple items. I can't imagine trying to balance a tray while using a cane or walker ...

 

carrying ANYTHING is difficult with a cane or a walker......but a tray does help to carry somethinh HOT...

[durangoscots]

I have been offered help in the Lido when I needed it ..... and sometimes when I didn't. They don't want to have to clean up the mess made if someone drops a plate.

 

Susan

[OCruisers]

carrying ANYTHING is difficult with a cane or a walker......but a tray does help to carry somethinh HOT...

 

Just put something HOT like a bowl of soup on a plate to carry to your table. :)

[POA1]

:confused: If you are using a cane or a walker, how are you able to balance a loaded tray? :confused:

 

 

That was my question, exactly. :) FWIW, HAL does an excellent job of helping folks who need assistance. If you just ask - nicely, there's almost always someone to help you.

 

Bear in mind that this is an observation from someone without mobility issues, but my 75 year old father and my 79 year old father in law have both said that they would be happy to be on a HAL ship "when they got old." (Apparently, my people are living forever. :) )

[Lizzie68]

Someone has always come to assist my DH in the Lido. They are very good in paying attention to who needs assistance. I get as much as I can for him, but sometimes he likes to go get his own meal and invariably a crew member will carry it back for him.

[happyglobetrotter]

I was told by one HAL official that removing the trays from the Lido has led to a lot of savings for the cruise line, over one million dollar a year for the fleet.

 

When people can pile all they want on a tray, they waste a lot of food.

 

Also, it was difficult to ensure that all trays remained sanitized.... and they were one more thing to handle for the staff. It was a good idea to remove the tray. IMO bringing its own tray is awkward and unecessary.

Edited October 15, 2015 by happyglobetrotter

[dakrewser]

1) Order room service breakfast (worth it in its own right)

2) Hide the tray until lunch

[ellieanne]

I was worried my first cruise after they discontinued trays in the Lido, but I have had no real problems.

 

Sometimes the plates are a bit warm to handle comfortably, but that's not very often.

 

And there is always an attendant around to help you getting the plates back to the table. I've even seen the attendants taking requests from people sitting at tables and delivering exactly what the people wanted -- sometimes several plates and/or complete meals.

[NMLady]

1) Order room service breakfast (worth it in its own right)

2) Hide the tray until lunch

 

That room service tray is heavy and oversize, not really helpful for the buffet.

[Lottie Linda]

I was told by one HAL official that removing the trays from the Lido has led to a lot of savings for the cruise line, over one million dollar a year for the fleet.

 

Interesting. CCL has revenue of about $14B a year. Saving $1 million is a increase of 0.01% or so. Figure the average cruise costs about $1,000, a tray added to the cost of a cruise would work out to about $0.10 per person. Some MBA has just earned his salary by shaving a dime of profit. But, what is that tray worth to me?

 

I want a tray. I want to put a salad, some bread, a main plate, a drink and maybe a desert on my tray. I don't want to have to get up for each little thing and I don't want to pile everything on one plate where the peas have run into my bread and my salad is covered in mash potatoes. Charge me an extra dime. Heck, charge me an extra buck and you'll have made a customer happy and made a profit of $0.90 more.

[dakrewser]

I want a tray. I want to put a salad, some bread, a main plate, a drink and maybe a desert on my tray. I don't want to have to get up for each little thing and I don't want to pile everything on one plate where the peas have run into my bread and my salad is covered in mash potatoes. Charge me an extra dime. Heck, charge me an extra buck and you'll have made a customer happy and made a profit of $0.90 more.

 

 

Hear! Hear!! Give us back our trays!